A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
